The project came about after I was asked to leave the organization last April (2004) after almost four years of dedicated volunteer service. Besides being abruptly terminated from the organization without warning or appeal, I also was refused any type of written documentation explaining exactly how and why the verdict was reached. Initially, I tried to get some press coverage about my situation, but my efforts were futile. Finally, I decided to take matters into my own hands and proceeded to document the entire story myself and post it to the Internet.
So, here it is...the story of how I was "fired" from a community radio station and my inside analysis of the behind the scenes operations at Chicago's Independent Community Radio:
(also, don't forget to check out the "Prologue" and "Links" sections in the right hand column for additional coverage)
Oh come on . . . I don't want this to distract from the real problem here, but all WNUR does is locally-produced programs. As far as diversity goes, that's where I think LUW could use improvement. I fully support LUW, probably more than most of the people I work with up here, and that's why I can say that whatever path WLUW is apparently currently following, it doesn't seem right. El Radio Libre! give it back to the kids. --mike, wnur jazzmark wrote:>>Finally, with no criticism intended of either WNUR or WZRD, I don't believe that they do offer all that WLUW does. They are fine stations, but neither one has the number or diversity of locally-produced programs that WLUW has.>>
Posted by: Anonymous | 02/01/2005 at 10:59 PM
It truly is a shame that someone could hold such bitterness for such a long time and not be able to move on in their life.
Posted by: Anonymous | 02/01/2005 at 04:28 PM
In response to Mark's comments:This is exactly the type of response I received from many after I started to criticize WLUW's budget and the management's lack of disclosure. "I have known Craig Kois for 13 years and found your description of him unrecognizable. In my experience, he is one of the gentlest, least autocratic people I've ever had the fortune to meet."1. To be honest, I thought this about Craig as well. I'd worked with him indirectly around the station for about 4 years and he seemed like one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet...that's what made my situation so bizarre. 2. My critique is not intended to badmouth any individuals here. Kois, Campbell and Malatia are all probably great people in their own right...but two facts remain: a. There was no effort whatsoever to work things out with me or address criticisms that I made AND I was kicked out of WLUW without any chance of appeal b. Terms of the WLUW's budget and the operating agreement between Loyola and WBEZ still have NOT been adequately disclosed to the listeners, donors and volunteers of the WLUW. Mark, if you are a friend of Kois and he has the integrity that you say he has...then I would ask you to please encourage Kois to fully disclose the complete facts about WLUW's budget, its management structure and the specific terms of the WBEZ/Loyola agreement to the listeners, donors and volunteers of the station. The fact that this information has not been voluntarily distributed and the fact that I was so abruptly kicked out for making criticisms about these issues makes it look like station management is trying to hide something. Maybe this is not the case, but unfortunately there has not been any evidence to prove otherwise.
Posted by: Anonymous | 01/31/2005 at 11:39 AM
wow, dude, that's totally f-ed up. i know wfmu has a paid staff and it obviously worked out for them . . . how'd it get to be so bad with luw? where i work, there might be a lot of disorganization and a little drama every once in while, but never this . . . sorry man, that sucks.you should get a show up here.mikewnur jazz music director
Posted by: Anonymous | 01/31/2005 at 01:20 AM